Philosophy Of Religion In Islam (a Reader Of Classical Sources)

This is the first anthology to represent the contributions and perspectives of medieval Islamic scholars on philosophy of religion. Assembling and translating 63 key texts, including many never before published in English, it captures the variety and influence of Islamic thought on how we think about the existence of God, the problem of evil and the relationship between faith and reason.

Focusing on the classical period of medieval Islamic thought up until the end of the 13th century, this one-of-a kind reader is organized thematically around five parts and covers:

§ Conceptions of faith and reason
§ The possibility of miracles as the sign of divine support
§ Arguments for the God’s existence
§ Strategies for understanding religious texts
§ The nature of salvation

Each Part has its own specialized introduction, relating medieval Islamic discussions on that problem to the contemporary discussions in philosophy of religion. Each reading is accompanied by an overview that provides context and background to the argument. Broad and rich, there is a wealth of translated writing here. Granting access to such valuable primary sources, this reader offers us deeper insight into the debates, discussions, and arguments of Islam thinkers on universal questions in philosophy.

PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

PART I: RELIGION AND REASON, edited by Rahim Acar

Introduction
1. Faith and Reason
2. The Origin and Nature of Religion
3. The Relationship between Religious Teachings and Philosophical-Scientific Theories

Texts
1. Al-Shahrastani: The Position of Doubt in the Face of Faith
2. Al-Ash?ari: A Vindication of the Science of Kalam
3. Ibn al-Mala?imi: The Invalidity of Conjecture in Accepting Religious Beliefs
4. Al-Ghazali: Evaluation of Different Approaches on the Relationship of Reason and Revelation
5. Al-Juwayni: Justification of Prophethood
6. Abu ?atim al-Razi & Abu Bakr al-Razi: Why is There a Need for a Prophet?
7. Al-Farabi: Religion as a Social Order
8. Ibn al-?Arabi: The Meaning of Religion and the Status of Prophethood
9. Al-Farabi: Philosophy, Religion and Theology as Parts of a Hierarchically Ordered Whole
10. Ibn ?ufayl: Revelation and Reason Are Different Ways that Show the Same Truth
11. Ibn Rushd: The Final Words on the Relationship between Philosophy and Religion

PART II: RELIGION AND ETHICS, edited by Hümeyra Özturan
Introduction
1. The Problem of Good and Bad (?usn and qub?)
2. The Content of the Moral Knowledge Based on Religion.
3. Moral Sanction

Texts
1. Qa?i ?Abd al-Jabbar: The Rationality of Good and Evil
2. Al-Juwayni: Judgment on Good and Bad (?usn and qub?) can only be Obtained from Religion
3. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi: Can Reason Judge Whether Something is Good or Bad?
4. Al-Maturidi: On the Imperfectness of our Judgements on the Good and the Bad due to our Ignorance
5. Al-Ghazali: On the Permissibility of Entities whose Status is not Legally Determined
6. Ibn al-?Arabi: The Root and the Characteristics of Morality
7. Al-Ja?i?: Strengthening the Mind with Sanctions Against Desires

PART III: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE, edited by M. Nedim Tan

Introduction
1. Prophetic Guidance and Transmission-based Epistemology
2. Prophethood as a Potency: A Philosophical Perspective
3. Sufism as a Prophethood-Centered Religious Experi